


Five Years Ago: Dromund Kaas

by aeternalegacy



Series: Interim [1]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Backstory, Gen, Knights of the Fallen Empire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-09
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-11 12:57:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11148885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeternalegacy/pseuds/aeternalegacy
Summary: Out of nowhere, a dangerous new enemy has appeared and is attacking Dromund Kaas and other Imperial worlds. In her office in Kaas City, Minister of Sith Intelligence Lana Beniko is scrambling to make sense of what is happening when she is paid an unexpected visit by Dark Council member, Darth Imperius.





	Five Years Ago: Dromund Kaas

Lana Beniko, Minister of Sith Intelligence, stood watching the various monitors in her office as streams of data came pouring in from all over the galaxy, nursing the last of her tea when the sound of footsteps came rushing towards her door. She turned to see her normally stalwart Imperial assistant at her doorway, his eyes wide. “Minister Beniko?” he called, breathless. “I apologize for the intrusion but there’s… a vi-visitor for you.”

She grimly congratulated herself on managing to answer in her usual calm demeanor. “You must tell whomever it is that this is not a good time.” Lana replied, turning back to her data streams, trying to make sense of what was happening around her. 

Dromund Kaas was under attack, a fact that would have been chaotic enough but it turned out that there were many other Imperial worlds under attack, all aggression coming from an unknown force claiming retribution for some assassination of their “Immortal Emperor”. Ludicrous claim aside, the aggression and carnage presented by this new enemy was very real. Reports were coming in from all over the galaxy at such a frenetic pace that all of Sith Intelligence was working to sort through the chaos.

Her intelligence operatives in Republic space were reporting simultaneous attacks on Republic worlds including Coruscant. She would have to follow up when — if — there was an opportunity to. And though she would have never categorized herself as an alarmist, she was not entirely sure there would be an opportunity to with the way the fighting was going.

“B-but Mi-minister Beniko,” stammered her assistant in a tone tinged with both horror and awe, “it’s Darth Imperius of the Dark Council.”

“Darth Imperius?” Lana turned away from the monitors to see her assistant nodding frantically. She heaved a sigh, setting her tea on her desk before nodding and motioning for him to show Darth Imperius in. Denying a Council member an audience tended have fatal consequences and Lana was not in the mood to suffer a Darth’s tantrum.

Even so, she wondered at Darth Imperius’ insistence. One of the most important pieces of information that Sith Intelligence was able to confirm was that Darth Marr’s ship in Wild Space had been attacked. What little confirmed information she had regarding Marr’s ship had already been relayed via a dedicated intelligence liaison. 

With no further information of consequence to be had, there was no reason for any Dark Council member to come to her directly. If anything, Lana should have been summoned to brief whatever Council members were currently on world, not the other way around.

Then again, what little she knew of Darth Imperius suggested that she had her own way of doing things.

Before Yavin 4, Lana had only heard of Darth Imperius in passing during her time as Darth Arkous’ advisor. Unlike most of the Council who were prone to making grandiose shows of power, Darth Imperius was reclusive and distant. Word was that she was more of an academic than anything else. She believed in a better Sith Empire, one that could be free of the stranglehold of xenophobia and betrayal. Most notable about Darth Imperius was that she managed to hold herself apart from the endemic backstabbing. 

Lana would have been glad to work with her as they seemed to share much in common. But she never had the chance. Lana had only seen Darth Imperius once in passing during a briefing on Yavin 4. Darth Imperius had been in a nearby star system with Lord Wrath, and the two had led the Imperial portion of the coalition with the Republic at the Temple of Sacrifice.

Lana’s assistant announced Darth Imperius, who followed him wordlessly into the room. Her assistant did his best to bow and just barely managed to see himself out in a respectable manner, quite an effort considering the imposing figure of Darth Imperius.

She was of average height but what she lacked for in physicality, she made up for in presence. As befitting a Sith of her standing, Darth Imperius wore an ensemble of dark red and black robes that covered her from head to toe, the design evoking imagery of the web covered tombs of Korriban. Her face and hair were obscured completely by her black mask, the tip of which came up high, like a crown upon her head.

As though the physical visage were not intimidating enough, the waves of power that radiated off of Darth Imperius was palpable to Lanar as a Sith. The fact that her non-Sith assistant was able to bear Darth Imperius’ presence for more than a few seconds without running in terror was evidence of his loyalty to his duty. Lana made a mental note to commend him later. 

“Darth Imperius,” Lana bowed. “Is there something I can do for you?”

“There is,” she answered, her voice echoing from deep within her mask. “Jedi Battlemaster Temprien Aeterna was aboard Darth Marr’s flag ship with him when it was destroyed.”

Lana was careful to measure her words. “Sith Intelligence is still working to determine who was aboard Darth Marr’s ship, my lord. As for the Jedi, we know that she was authorized by the Jedi Grandmaster to assist Darth Marr in his search for the Emperor. However, we do not know for certain that she was aboard.”

“I am telling you that it is certain. She is the one who gave the order to abandon ship but she did not make it to the escape pods. She and Darth Marr were captured alive before it was completely destroyed.”

“I am sorry, my lord, but Sith Intelligence would be unable to corroborate that statement at the moment.”

“There is no need. I am here to tell you that it is true.”

“My lord…” Lana felt a headache coming on, wishing that she had the foresight to have refilled her bourbon decanter. Dark Council members had a tendency to argue passionately against facts that did not fit their own perception of reality. It was aggravating at the best of times and could prove fatal when arguing with the wrong Council member. In any case, Lana had no patience for such nonsense. 

However Darth Imperius’ own refutation was very calm. Lana hoped that she could make her see reason. “It is regrettable that Darth Marr is presumed dead at this time. However —”

Darth Imperius held up a hand. “I must clarify my purpose in coming to you. I am not here on behalf of the Dark Council, Minister Beniko.”

It took Lana a moment to process that. “So this is about the Jedi?” She did not bother to hide her astonishment. “Why come to me, my lord?”

“Because she considers you a friend. And she will need a friend to find her.”

That Temprien Aeterna considered Lana a friend was not a surprise; the feeling was mutual even if their friendship was limited by their allegiances. However this personal information was nowhere in her reports to the Council regarding Yavin 4 and Ziost. “How do you know this, my lord?”

“We have a strong bond through the Force. But it has gone silent since just before these attacks began taking place. That is not a coincidence.”

Lana frowned. “I am not doubting you, my lord,” she said slowly, “but how can you be so certain?”

In answer, Darth Imperius reached up and removed her mask. For most Sith, choosing to wear a mask was as much a matter of practicality as it was fashion statement. There were Sith who were so mangled from combat or so corrupted by their affinity with the Dark side that their masks camouflaged the damage to their flesh and the extensive cybernetics that they were reliant on to stay alive.

But the woman beneath the fearsome mask was neither mangled nor corrupted. Lana tried to keep herself from staring. The almond shaped blue eyes, framed elegantly with an arched brow was familiar to Lana. Darth Imperius looked almost exactly like Temprien.

But not quite. While Darth Imperius had her reddish brown hair cut far shorter than the Jedi’s, the most marked difference was in the eyes. While the Jedi Master’s blue eyes sparkled like the pristine waters of Manaan, the blue of Darth Imperius’ eyes was cold and hard like the ice wasteland of Hoth.

“My name is Audrien Aeterna Maelach, daughter of Jedi Master Tempriel Aeterna and Sith Lord Zigel Maelach, Lord Wrath. Your Jedi ally, Temprien Aeterna, is my twin sister.”


End file.
